Weekend College Football: What to Watch and Why It Matters

College football's Week 13 is not packed with thrilling matchups. Some of this is due to conferences being too big, others are taking a break, and the SEC is playing easy teams. Out of the top 10 teams, three aren't playing, two face much weaker opponents, and three are favorites by a huge margin.

Still, there are some important games that could affect who makes it to the playoffs. Fans know that this is the kind of weekend where anything can happen.

Top 10 Games to Watch This Weekend

Near Misses

• Kansas at Iowa State
• Washington State at JMU
• Baylor at Arizona
• More

Louisville vs. SMU

• Both teams are 7-3.
• This game matters because it could affect the ACC standings.
• SMU needs to win their last two games and hope Georgia Tech or Virginia lose.
• If SMU loses either game, their chances are over.
• There's also a complicated scenario where Miami could still make it to the ACC title game, but that's for next week.

Michigan vs. Maryland

• Michigan is favored by 14 points.
• This game is only important because of what it could mean for next week's game against Ohio State.
• Even if they win, it's still unlikely they'll make it to the playoffs.

Vanderbilt's Playoff Hopes

• Vanderbilt is having a good season.
• They need to beat Kentucky and Tennessee to stay in the running.
• Quarterback Diego Pavia is someone to watch.
• It's still a long shot for Vanderbilt.

Utah's Playoff Bubble

• Utah needs to win their last two games and hope BYU and Texas Tech lose.
• They're currently not in the top 12, but there's still a chance.
• A loss could also affect Miami's chances.

Miami vs. Notre Dame

• Both teams are 8-2, but Notre Dame is ranked higher.
• If both teams win this weekend, the playoff committee might have to finally compare them.

Tulane vs. Temple

• Tulane is in the best position to get the Group of 5 playoff spot.
• They need to win their conference championship to qualify.
• Temple is a tough opponent, but Tulane is favored by 8.5 points.

Oklahoma vs. Missouri

• Oklahoma had a big win last week against Alabama.
• They need to beat Missouri and LSU to make the playoffs.
• Missouri's running back Ahmad Hardy is someone to watch.
• Oklahoma is favored by 7.5 points.

Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

• If Georgia Tech wins, they'll make it to the ACC championship and have their first 10-win season since 2014.
• Pittsburgh needs to win to stay in contention.

BYU vs. Cincinnati

• BYU is favored by 2.5 points.
• A win for BYU puts them in a better position for the Big 12 title and the playoffs.

USC vs. Oregon

• This is the biggest game of the weekend.
• Oregon is favored by 7 points.
• A win for Oregon boosts their playoff chances to 93 percent.
• A win for USC would bring them up to 79 percent.